Electrical switches, such as relays, are known in the prior art. Known electrical switches have an electromagnetic drive device in the form of the coil assembly which drives an armature about an axis of rotation through an angular range having at least two switching states. The armature is also referred to as a rotating armature. For transmitting the rotational movement of the armature to a contact spring, known electrical switches have a coupler which deflects and switches the spring.
An electrical switch 1′ according to the prior art is shown in a plan view 3 in FIG. 1. The electrical switch 1′ is a relay 5 or switch 7 and has a coil assembly 9 which is arranged in a drive portion 11. A transmission portion 13 and a contact portion 15 are connected to the drive portion 11.
The coil assembly 9 located in the drive portion 11 has a coil 17, which is supplied with current and controlled by control and supply lines 19, and an armature 21 which is embodied as a rotational armature 23 and is rotatable about an axis of rotation 25. A yoke 22 is concealed in FIG. 1. The armature 21 has an elongated extension 32 which is elongated to form a bracket 31. The elongated extension 32 may be an elongated armature plate 27. FIG. 1 shows two armature plates 27, of which only the upper armature plate 27 is visible. A permanent magnet 29 is arranged between the armature plates 27. The extension 32 embodied as an elongated armature plate 27 has the bracket 31 which is embodied integrally with the armature plate 27 and which moves together with the armature 21 during the rotation thereof about the axis of rotation 25.
The bracket 31 is connected to a coupler 33 so as to transmit movement, in such a way that a pivoting movement 35 of the bracket 31 about the axis of rotation 25 is converted into a linear movement 37 of the coupler 33. The pivoting movement 35 comprises a first direction of rotation 35a and a second direction of rotation 35b. The coupler 33 extends from the drive portion 11 via the transmission portion 13 into the contact portion 15 and transmits the pivoting movement 35 of the bracket 31 to a contact spring 39 of the contact portion 15 in the form of the linear movement 37.
The coupler 33 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the bracket 31 and perpendicular to the contact spring 39. At respective fixing points 41, the bracket 31 and contact spring 39 are fixed to the coupler 33 so as to transmit movement. The contact spring 39 is rigidly connected to a load contact 45 at a fixing end 43, whereas a free end 47 positioned distal from the fixing end 43 is deflectable in a switching direction 49 or an opening direction 51 by the coupler 33.
The electrical switch 1′ of FIG. 1 is shown in an open position 53, wherein a movable contact element 55 and a fixed contact element 57 fixed to the further load contact 45 are at a contact distance 59 from one another. The fixed and movable contact elements 55, 57 and the contact spring 39 form a contact assembly 16.
The coupler 33 embodied as a separate component in the prior art requires a brace or guide to suitably transmit the rotational movement of the armature 21 to the spring 39. This brace or guide is usually provided by a housing of the electrical switch 1′. Prior art electrical switches 1′ are thus large and cannot be constructed in a space-saving manner.